The Rigged Poker Game of the Stock Market

### Your Financial Advisor: Keep Playing, It’ll Be Fine... Really!

Ah yes, your financial advisor, always full of wisdom. They’ll tell you to “ride the wave” and stay invested because, apparently, “the market always bounces back.” Sure, just keep holding on. It’s called the hopium strategy, where you do nothing, cross your fingers, and hope for the best—because that’s totally a solid financial plan, right? At this point, you’d get more sensible advice from a toddler. They might tell you to invest in juice boxes and crayons. And you know what? At least with that plan, when things go sideways, you’d have something colorful to look at and a drink in hand while your portfolio sinks. Honestly, it’s like your advisor is the toddler telling you to keep stacking blocks higher and higher, ignoring the fact that they’re wobbling and about to collapse. “No, no, just keep stacking!” And when it all crashes down? “Oops! Let’s start over!” But in this case, there’s no starting over—just your money, gone. Oh, and let’s add insult to injury. You think you actually own your stocks, right? You see that number on your brokerage account, and it feels pretty solid. But here’s the kicker: you’re not even the real owner. You’re what they call a beneficiary owner—which is just a fancy way of saying, “Yeah, you’re technically in the game, but someone else holds the cards.” It’s like thinking you’re driving the car, but someone else has the keys. Sure, you get to look at it, maybe sit in the driver’s seat, but when things start going downhill, don’t expect to take control. The institutions are the ones holding the real power here. Now, imagine the market crashes, and just when you want to sell off your stocks to salvage what’s left, you’re locked out. Why? Because your attempt to sell could be flagged as erratic behavior . That’s right—they’re so thoughtful, they’ll protect you from yourself. They’ll shut you out for your own good—because who knows better than a faceless institution about what’s best for your financial future, right? ### You’re Not Even the Real Owner of Your Stocks—Surprise!